The Robotic Train Showcase Project (RTS)

I realize I would drive my trains more often if it wouldn’t be a pain taking them out of the show case, putting them on the tracks, and putting them back again making sure all 12 tiny axles of a commuter train are sitting on the equally tiny tracks (1:160 scale makes for 9mm wide tracks).

How about a show case that plucks a train from a shelf and sets it onto the tracks, ready to drive out? And when I’m done, I drive the train into the case and it is being put back on a shelf automagically?

As I like to play with computers, mechanics, and workshop equipment (in steeply descending order of expertise), I think that this can, should, and practically BEGS to be done using an Arduino, mechanics available for 3D printing, and some woodworking.